Now Moscow’s defence ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov has claimed the Kremlin has evidence that Britain has staged the attack.

He said: “We have… evidence that proves Britain was directly involved in organising this provocation.”

Konashenkov released statements, supposedly from medics working at Douma’s hospital, who allege a group of people holding video cameras entered the medical facility, shouting that its patients were struck with chemical weapons.

The alleged medics in the report said none of the patients they were treating were hurt by chemicals.